


A Biological Divide

by Kalorii



Series: SorMik Seraphic Union [2]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Anal, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Sexual Situations, Awkwardness, Bonding, First Time, Gay, Gay Sex, Headcanon, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Post-Canon, Seraph Sorey (Tales of Zestiria), Sex Talk, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26556499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalorii/pseuds/Kalorii
Summary: Mikleo and Sorey are truly happy in their new relationship, though Sorey seems hesitant to go through with the ultimate pledge of their love: a seraphic union. While Mikleo is willing to wait for Sorey to be ready, Zaveid identifies the root of the problem and gives the other seraph a gentle nudge in the right direction. Faced with a problem he'd never even thought of before as a seraph, Mikleo works to understand why he and Sorey are so different.Direct sequel to Admitting the Obvious but can be read as a standalone if you like.
Relationships: Mikleo/Sorey (Tales of Zestiria)
Series: SorMik Seraphic Union [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010010
Comments: 12
Kudos: 63





	1. An Intervention

**Author's Note:**

> Not as long chapter-wise but it was something I really wanted to write.
> 
> This was something I wanted to put into Admitting the Obvious but I realized that it's hard to pass off Sorey as someone who's sexually confident from the get-go. Mikleo struck me more as the one who would go in with everything he had. I also felt that Mikleo, though not completely ignorant, might not really think of sex as important as a seraph. In the end, it's a lot of headcanons and allowing my brain to go in whatever direction it wanted to go.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this and thank you so much for reading. You're awesome. 💕

Time felt like it was slowing down after they’d rapidly gone past the water seraph for centuries. Mikleo certainly wasn’t going to complain about it as he was thoroughly enjoying his time with Sorey. How couldn’t he after they’d been holding back for so long? It felt wonderful to be unrestrained and sharing his heart with the one he loved so much.

Seraphic unions, as Lailah had said, were incredibly rare. It was difficult to promise forever and actually mean it as anything could happen after one year let alone five hundred or more. Most seraphs avoided relationships for that reason alone, not wanting to have the chance of heartache which might create malevolence. Sorey and Mikleo had, like many other things, decided to go for it without fear. However, some knowledge given to them by Lailah and Rose suggested that a union was about more than just exchanging True Names. At the news, neither asked for clarification though Mikleo knew they would eventually seek out the knowledge themselves.

For now, life was calm and peaceful, almost like their childhood in Elysia. They did still live in Ladylake and had more companions than they used to have, but the company was good. Without the threat of a Lord of Calamity and the idea of hellionization now a foreign concept, the group consistently made good memories with one another.

Sorey himself was getting better at handling his artes and the elements in general. It wasn’t without some growing pains as all four of the seraphs training him put him through the paces. The gentlest one was Lailah but that was to be expected. The ex-Shepherd had made it clear to Mikleo that he wanted to learn and no one knew better what that meant than his lover. Learning was meant to build strength.

Fortunately for Sorey, it seemed his hair had stopped lightening for the time being. It’d gone down to a sandy colour with his normal brown as the hue of the tips. Overall, it wasn’t a terrible look for him though Mikleo did wonder if it was the end of those changes. After all, a seraph only stopped growing once they reached the peak of their power. For Sorey’s sake, Mikleo hoped that didn’t mean he’d get as old as Gramps had been.

Perspective really was everything and Mikleo had been making a lot of observations of Sorey from his own view. There were subtle differences, such as an older face and at least another inch to his height. Things no one else would notice unless they were truly paying attention. Perhaps Sorey’s power was at its peak even if he’d emerged rather inept with all of his elements. From someone else’s point of view, Sorey would one day become terrifyingly powerful. Maotelus couldn’t have chosen one better to handle such power and responsibility.

All of those thoughts ran through Mikleo’s mind as he woke up before his lover, sitting on the edge of the bed. Sorey always looked peaceful when he slept and his face didn’t contain a single hint of the hardship he’d gone through. No, that was left for his demeanour and how he approached things.

Pushing up off the bed, the water seraph went about his morning preparations. Sorey had insisted that they return to a new bookstore that had opened as he felt there were things for sale they hadn’t read as of yet. Mikleo was inclined to agree. Bookstores were a rarity and one as lined with tomes as this one was made it a gem waiting for polishing.

He picked up his brush and began the tedious task of smoothing out his hair. Cutting it had never occurred to him as it was maintenance he didn’t wish to keep up with. It gave his lover an excuse to play with his hair and he seemed to enjoy it so that was a plus in Mikleo’s book.

Before he could reach up to run the brush through again, Mikleo felt arms embrace him from behind and a kiss to his neck. As always, it sent an odd shiver up his spine which translated into a soft laugh.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Sorey murmured drowsily. “I’ll bet you thought I wasn’t awake.”

“It’s hard to tell with how you sleep. Are you getting better at faking that?” Mikleo teased.

Chuckling deeply and pressing another soft kiss to the water seraph’s neck, Sorey released him and wandered back to the bed. “Honestly, I was going to try and sleep more but I can’t wait to get to that store. We didn’t get anywhere near enough time to look through everything.”

That was true enough. Rose had casually dropped the knowledge on them just before closing time the day prior. Part of him wondered if she’d done that on purpose.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Sorey already pulling on his boots. He took his new, more seraphic-looking jacket and slipped it on. It was the same colour as his old one but had white patterns at the collar, bottom, and cuffs which made it much more obvious what he was. They were all still trying to convince him to add some extra white to his attire.

Hopping to his feet, Sorey posed triumphantly. “All right, I’m ready to go when you are.”

Mikleo sighed softly and grabbed his hair tie, pulling his hair up into it. “I still remember when you had to eat before going anywhere. You’d practically choke when trying to get that food in you.”

“Gramps would get so mad, telling me to slow down. I was jealous that you didn’t really have to eat to get energy.” Sorey paused, folding his arms over his chest. “I feel like I’ve gotten better at that now.”

Once more Sorey got hung up on his human habits. Not bothering to put on the rest of his own attire, Mikleo went over to his lover and clapped his hands on Sorey’s cheeks. “Stop worrying about it so much. You get so caught up on trying to be a ‘perfect’ seraph and beating yourself up if you slip. Eating is fine, you know that.”

Something crossed Sorey’s face before he smiled and nodded lightly. “I know, I’ll get better at that, too. You can’t blame me for trying to be what I really am.”

“I can blame you for overthinking it,” Mikleo huffed. “Let’s not waste time with this discussion _again_. You wanted to get to that bookstore and it’s already nearly midday.”

The words did the trick of making Sorey start as he grabbed Mikleo’s hand. “Right, let’s go before anyone else gets to those books.”

Quite used to how easily Sorey shifted between one mood and another, Mikleo merely worked to keep up with his lover. As he expected, there weren’t that many patrons in the store and the book-lined walls were open enough to start looking through each spine carefully.

Nothing else mattered when they were in this world as they each took one end of a wall and began perusing. They had a system that worked like a well-oiled machine as they found books and stacked them between each other. Most of their gald was spent on books with both of them doing odd jobs to earn more. Once they went on their eventual tour of the world, the number of books they’d have to offload would return a good sum of gald to them.

A small stack turned into a much larger one as they combed the store for knowledge. Some of the books seemed quite old and worn but that only made them more enticing. Just flipping through one was enough to make Mikleo put it on the pile with the rest. By the time they were done, their satchel was filled to capacity with new books to read through.

The sun was going down by the time they left the store and began making their way home. Having taken out one of the books, the two walked with their heads together to read it excitedly. Mikleo couldn’t resist, turning his eyes to watch Sorey’s own emerald-coloured eyes lighting up with interest.

“Ah, there’s my two favourite lovebirds! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Both of them looked up as Zaveid approached, thumbs in the waist of his pants and that familiar grin on his face. Idly, Mikleo wondered if it was a personal record for the wind seraph for staying in one place. Granted, he was just as dedicated to helping Sorey with honing his skills, but it simply felt odd for the fickle man to have been in Ladylake for nigh a year.

“What could you want from either of us?” Mikleo asked, giving Zaveid a sceptical look.

“Why, I need you, Mickey my boy!” Zaveid bowed with a flourish towards Sorey. “Begging your pardon but I’d like to borrow the love of your life for a while. I promise to have him home in mostly one piece.”

Mikleo let out a soft noise and furrowed his brow. “You could ask me. Sorey’s not my keeper just because we’re lovers, you know.”

Closing the book carefully, Sorey put a hand on the water seraph’s shoulder. “It’s always up to you, Mikleo. If it’s something only you can take care of, you should see what you can do.”

“Trust me, this is something only you can handle, Mikboy.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, Mikleo’s shoulders dropped in defeat as he nodded. “Fine. Don’t read anything until I get back, Sorey.”

Sorey only laughed softly, leaning in for a kiss. “I won’t read a single word but I’ll definitely start laying them out so we can go through them. We might need the satchel for a second pass.”

Just seeing Sorey’s smile made Mikleo do the same and he momentarily forgot Zaveid’s intrusion into their moment. Pressing up against his lover, Mikleo kissed Sorey again before going to the wind seraph’s side. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Mikleo.”

As Sorey left, Zaveid let out a gusty sigh. “Damn, I’d hoped it wasn’t that bad. Guess the choirboy still hasn’t been honest with you.”

Mikleo turned his head sharply to his friend. “What do you mean?”

Not saying a word, Zaveid put a hand at Mikleo’s back and turned him around to start walking slowly back in the direction of the commercial district. “You know what Sorey was better than even I do, Mickey. He was a human and humans have needs.” Seeing Mikleo’s confusion, Zaveid smirked. “Needs you could help him with.”

It didn’t take much to understand what Zaveid was getting at and Mikleo gave the other a look of distaste. “First of all, what we do together is hardly your business. Secondly, Sorey is a seraph now and you’re an anomaly, not the rule.”

“Maybe so but that doesn’t change the fact that Sorey’s been busting his ass trying to be more chaste than he was as a human.” Zaveid nudged them off to the side of a street so he could lean against the wall of a building. “I’m shocked with how close you two are that you didn’t show any curiosity about how he was growing up.”

“Again, it’s not your business but I’m not an idiot, Zaveid. I _was_ curious when we were younger,” Mikleo admitted reluctantly. The old memories danced in his mind and he furrowed his brow, folding his arms across his chest. “How couldn’t I when he’d sneak away at night just to do…whatever he was doing. I even asked Gramps but he would just tell me it was natural human behaviour.”

Once he repeated what his caretaker had told him, Mikleo’s eyes shot open and he let out a noise in the back of his throat. Sorey had said the same thing in different words for months. Was that one of the “human things” that bothered him? And here Mikleo had been telling him not to worry so much about it because he thought it was just about eating too much.

It seemed Zaveid had seen that moment of revelation and he nodded. “I think you get the gist of what I’m driving at. There’s no way that Sorey is going to go through a true seraphic union without you two being on the same page.”

Now it all made sense why his lover was hesitating. A true union meant that they would be closer than ever and be in total harmony. If Zaveid was right, Sorey’s feelings would have made themselves known immediately and Mikleo knew what that meant.

“So, he’s trying to will his desires away,” Mikleo muttered thoughtfully. He shook his head and looked over to Zaveid. “I don’t understand everything, though. We’re both obviously males and, even if we were both human, we could never have a child.”

“What, you think that’s the only reason humans do it? If that were all it was good for, I wouldn’t be the way I am,” Zaveid said, flashing Mikleo a grin. “Sex feels great and is one hell of a way to either start or end a day. I’ve heard it’s even better when you’re desperately in love but don’t take my word for it.”

This was so uncomfortable. Rolling his shoulders with a soft noise of discomfort, the water seraph hunched them and leaned against the building as well. “Was this the only reason you pulled me away from Sorey?”

“Sure is. Look, don’t you think it’s time that you give something back to the guy who’s always giving everything away? Sorey’s a catch and anyone would be lucky to have him.” Zaveid merely chuckled as he saw the way Mikleo bristled at the implications. “Thing is, he loves you with all he’s got. He wants to be with you in every way and is willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means denying his own fantasies.”

“Fantasies?” Mikleo repeated, giving the wind seraph a blank look. As he realized what Zaveid meant, Mikleo felt his cheeks heat and he wrapped his arms around himself. “Sorey’s not like that.”

Zaveid rolled his eyes with a growl of frustration, reaching over to gently nudge Mikleo. “I can guarantee to you that he’s going to yank his crank as soon as those books are laid out. While he does it, you’re going to be the only one in his head.”

Damn Zaveid and his terminology. “’Yank his crank’? What does that even mean?”

“For a nerd like you, it’s typically called ‘masturbation’. Relieves all that tension without the need for someone else though it’s a lot less fun.”

Mind spinning, Mikleo reached up and put a hand on his face with a slight groan. “I feel like you know him better than I do.”

“How the hell did you let Zenrus block you from learning about this stuff?” Zaveid muttered.

“He didn’t. Not entirely, anyway. I read some books I think he left for Sorey but they were all scientific and clinical. How could Sorey have possibly figured this masturbation stuff on his own?” Mikleo wondered aloud.

The wind seraph chuckled gently and shrugged a shoulder. “Experimentation, maybe. Don’t think it’s that hard to figure out and Sorey’s not stupid. It doesn’t take much to find out what feels good.”

Mikleo let out a heavy sigh, unsure how to feel about the information he was being told. He’d always thought that sex was just for creating children. Whatever Sorey had been doing at the time, Mikleo had assumed his companion would have told him. Yet, even now, it was almost as if Sorey was ashamed of his own desires and wants.

“I know this is a lot to take in. I wouldn’t give a damn if you two weren’t good friends and a good couple. Sorey won’t stop until he’s stomped out his libido for good at this rate. Whether you think that’s a good trade off for a complete union is up to you,” Zaveid said, sounding unusually serious. “You and I both know he’ll think that it’s the best way so he doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”

How had it gotten to the point where Mikleo was to blame? Well, he _had_ most definitely been telling Sorey at every turn not to be so hard on himself for his human tendencies. Eating was one thing but this was definitely something else entirely. Not having knowledge of what was going to be lost, Mikleo wasn’t sure he was in a position to say it was good or bad. How much would it affect their relationship if Sorey’s fantasies were ground to dust? Would Sorey grow to resent him for something they could have shared but never spoke of?

He jumped as he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and Zaveid looking at him with worry. “You need some time to figure this out. If you won’t talk to him then let me give you a hand.” Shock must have shown plainly on Mikleo’s face and Zaveid laughed softly. “Not like that. I know where you can go to get information that’ll help.”

Even though he certainly could have used time to sort out the information he was told, Mikleo shook his head. “This isn’t going to get any easier for me. Let’s go and get this over with.”

“Talk about treating it like a chore. Come on, follow me.”

Though Mikleo highly doubted that sex was so important that it would make or break their relationship, Zaveid was right. Sorey gave everything of himself and expected nothing in return. He’d given up centuries of his life to make the world a better place and now he was trying to kill off the rest of his humanity for Mikleo. The least that the water seraph could do was try and understand, that was all Zaveid was really asking for.

He looked up as they went to a district that he was unfamiliar with. It wasn’t the kind of area either he or Sorey would even come close to. “Zaveid, where are we going? Is this place even safe?”

Zaveid laughed lowly and put an arm around Mikleo’s shoulders. “Settle down, Mickster. As long as you’re walking with me, no one’s going to try anything.” They passed by someone whose eyes lingered far too long on Mikleo for his liking and Zaveid didn’t hesitate to pull the water seraph closer. “Don’t complain too loudly. You don’t look like you belong here and they’d eat you alive.”

“Why do I trust you?” Mikleo muttered, unable to stop himself from pressing closer to the wind seraph.

To his credit, Zaveid said nothing more as he all but rushed them along the street. Eventually, the unsavoury types thinned out and they were in front of a building that looked almost respectable. It was obviously a storefront though what they sold there was anyone’s guess. Most stores were closing at these hours so it was a surprise when Zaveid opened the door.

“Why, is that Zaveid I spy?” a woman’s voice drawled as they entered.

“Maria, sweetheart. It’s been too long, hasn’t it?” Zaveid said, gently nudging Mikleo closer to the counter. “Only a week but that’s far too long to be away from you.”

The woman was lovely and very obviously a seraph herself. Fire seraph with long, white hair tipped with blazing red edges. Where Lailah was demure and elegant, Maria was wild and untamed. In short, she was very much like Zaveid which was almost a frightening thought.

Leaning against the counter with an elbow, Maria hummed softly as her eyes lay on Mikleo. “My word, what a beautiful creature you have by your side today.”

Mikleo bristled at her gaze and words, opening his mouth to respond before Zaveid leaned in. “Sorry, baby, hands off this one. He’s very taken by someone else.”

It felt strange to have Zaveid almost protecting him, though it made some sense considering how out of his element the water seraph was. Wit and a sharp tongue could only go so far where they were. It was only then that Mikleo looked at his surroundings and then felt his cheeks heat.

“Too bad but I sure see why. Looking at your reaction, you’re here because you have no idea what your lover craves.” Maria merely smirked as Mikleo turned his attention to her. “There have been many like you to come through my store, honey. Seraphs with human lovers, confused about their deeper carnal desires.”

“More or less,” Mikleo finally muttered, finding his voice again.

Surprise crossed Maria’s face before she smiled widely. “Such a rarity you’ve brought today, Zaveid. I know you brought him here because I’m the least offensive shop here. Other seraphs get turned off completely at the thought of what some humans get up to in the bedroom.” Tilting her head slightly, she traced her thumb over her chin. “That is hardly your style. I sense more romance, something passionate and intimate that burns hotter than even my own flames.”

“You’re always so poetic, my dear. In this case, you’re absolutely right on every point. Mikboy here hasn’t even given a single thought to what he and his boyfriend could get up to,” Zaveid sighed, also leaning on the counter. “I figured you’d have something to help him figure it out.”

Maria continued to study the water seraph before she pushed off the counter and turned to the bookshelf behind her. Without pause, she slid two books out and placed them on the counter. “To start with. One is an introduction written by another seraph who also wished to understand the art of sex. The other book is for if you decide to get adventurous.”

Looking to Zaveid with a grimace, Mikleo picked up the introduction book and turned it over in his hands. It wasn’t a thick tome and it looked rather new, perhaps only written recently. “Is this really so important to learn?” he eventually asked.

“I’m only showing you the door, Mickey. You’re the one who has to decide if it’s worth opening. Out of all of us, you’re the one who knows your lover’s heart – or you should. All I’m saying is that you should try something before you decide whether it’s important or not.”

Again, Mikleo had to begrudgingly admit to Zaveid’s wisdom. Who was Mikleo to decide what was important to Sorey? He’d spent months almost telling his lover that his worries were unimportant and meant nothing. He was forcing his own ideas of what a seraph was onto someone who’d been raised another way entirely.

“Listen to him, honey. Seraphs have long denied themselves knowledge because they enjoy the idea that they’re less primitive than humans. Personally, I feel that humans live far more fulfilling lives than we do,” Maria said. “To add this touch of humanity to yourself is a start in the right direction.”

Steeling himself, Mikleo picked up the books and nodded. “You’re right, I understand.” He cast a glance to Zaveid. “Don’t think this means you can be asking us about it whenever you like.”

Chuckling, Zaveid dropped some gald onto the counter and pointed at a bottle of something behind Maria. “Can’t make any promises, Mikboy. It’ll be worth it to watch Sorey turn into a tomato when it doesn’t go over his head.”

“Such a tease. Go easy on them, Zaveid. Young love needs to blossom and flourish without discouraging interference.” Maria smiled and set the bottle on the counter, nudging it towards Mikleo. She pulled out a small satchel as well and set it beside the bottle. “The books will tell you everything you need. Open your mind, honey.”

Mikleo once thought he had a very open mind but it did seem to be limited to ancient history. He at least owed it to Sorey to try and understand, even if it was the most embarrassing situation in his life. Putting the books and bottle into the satchel, he shouldered the bag and let out a soft breath.

“I still don’t appreciate you butting into what we do, but you have your reasons. Sorey would never have told me otherwise,” Mikleo admitted.

“I do it because I care and damn if you two don’t deserve to be happy after everything.” Zaveid leaned in slightly, flashing a smile at Maria. It was different than the kind of look he gave to Lailah, Edna, or Rose. “I’m going to help Mikboy get back to his lover. You got some time when I come back for a bit of fun?”

It wasn’t just the smile that was different, it was everything. There was seriousness behind his question and anyone could tell he didn’t need to turn on false charms with Maria. If Mikleo had needed more proof that Zaveid said sexually charged things to get a rise out of people, this was definitely it. When he was serious about it, Mikleo wondered if anyone could resist him. After all, Zaveid had countless years of practise under his belt – almost literally.

Maria giggled and leaned in to nip at Zaveid’s lower lip. “Are you asking me to close early, then? I might have to oblige.” She turned to Mikleo and nodded lightly. “Good luck, honey. I hope things work out for the both of you.”

“Thank you,” Mikleo murmured.

Thankfully, Zaveid didn’t call attention to the obvious discomfort that Mikleo was showing. He put a hand on Mikleo’s back and began to lead him out of the shop, back into the streets beyond. With his mind spinning, Mikleo finally looked over to Zaveid.

“I’ll need some time to myself and I don’t think I can get it easily,” he said.

“Don’t worry about that. It’s about time I take Sorey for some of my one-on-one time anyway. He’s been chomping at the bit just waiting for me to teach him how to use the wind to travel,” Zaveid said, nodding at his companion. “You focus on yourself and leave distractions to me.”

After a moment, Mikleo shook his head. “I’ll tell him I need time alone. You can still distract him and stop him from overthinking but it’s easier if I’m partially honest.” Narrowing his eyes, he looked over to Zaveid. “No hint dropping about it, either.”

Zaveid laughed and roughly patted Mikleo’s back. “Mikboy, you do know how to drain the fun from things sometimes.”


	2. Beginning to Work It Out

Morning dawned as it always did the next day. Muted light filtered into the room, tinted slightly by the blue curtains covering the windows. It felt like any other day but the memories of the day prior burdened Mikleo’s mind.

He stirred slightly, feeling the weight of Sorey at his back and the arm around him. The more Mikleo thought about it, the worse he felt for ignoring what his lover had been saying. Usually, the water seraph was the voice of reason among a sea of foolishness. No matter how much sense it made to him at the time, it was clearly dismissive and unfair. Mikleo, of all people, should have known better than to let Sorey’s fears be dismissed.

Fortunately, Mikleo was good at using his guilt as a motivator to do better. He shifted slightly in Sorey’s grip, gently lifting the limp arm and starting to move his body away from Sorey. A yelp left him as the arm suddenly tightened around him and he was pulled close once more.

“It’s too early,” Sorey murmured against Mikleo’s neck. “Stay in bed.”

Despite his worries, the water seraph chuckled softly and patted Sorey’s arm. “Let me up, Sorey.”

Making a soft noise that could have easily been interpreted as a “no”, Sorey pulled Mikleo against him a bit more. If there was one thing that Sorey had shown since they’d admitted their feelings it was that he loved cuddling. Mikleo thought it was cute even if he was being held by the stronger seraph in such a way that he couldn’t easily escape.

Twisting around to face his lover, Mikleo put his hands on Sorey’s cheeks. “Come on, up you get.”

“Why?” Sorey whined softly, finally opening an eye. “We never get up this early unless we have to.”

Unable to help himself, Mikleo chuckled and lay his head on the pillow. There were times when he liked basking in his feelings for his lover. It wasn’t like when they were younger and he had to hide it. Being like this made him even more determined to understand what Sorey desired.

“I need to go somewhere for a few days,” he said, pausing for a moment before adding, “Alone.”

That did the trick of waking Sorey up. Immediately, he sat up in bed and looked down at Mikleo with worry. “Is everything okay, Mikleo?”

Pushing himself up, the water seraph nodded and placed a hand on Sorey’s chest. “Everything is fine but there’s something I need to do. I promise I’ll be back in a couple of days.”

Sorey furrowed his brow before letting out a gentle breath. “I guess this is how you feel each time I have to do something without you. Are you sure we didn’t go through a real seraphic union at some point?”

“Sorey, I think it’s natural for a relationship like ours to not want to be apart for too long. We did spend nearly four-hundred years without each other.” And there were days when Mikleo felt every single day of that absence. He leaned in for a gentle kiss, putting a hand on Sorey’s cheek. “I won’t be gone for long.”

It was obvious that it was a reluctant nod that Sorey gave, reaching up to cover Mikleo’s hand with his own. “I understand.” He paused then smiled lightly. “Well, I actually don’t but I’ll try.”

Nodding and leaning in for another kiss, Mikleo let out a soft laugh as Sorey held him there. How much of it was because Sorey’s body craved something that Mikleo’s body didn’t understand? Kissing always felt wonderful but it felt like there was something _more_ to be had. Yet another reason Mikleo was determined to figure it out.

Eventually, they pulled apart and, this time, the water seraph noticed the look on his lover’s face. It was flushed and full of something he couldn’t place. “Thank you, Sorey. I won’t be gone for too long and you’ll have some training with Zaveid to focus on.”

Mikleo slipped off the bed and began the arduous task of straightening his hair enough to tie it back. He could feel eyes on him and knew that Sorey was watching his every movement. It’d been something to get used to, knowing that his lover enjoyed the morning routine. Were Sorey more adventurous, Mikleo wondered if he would have made his desires known already. He had little doubt Zaveid was right which was why he was more insistent on understanding.

Just as he set the brush aside and reached for his hair tie, Mikleo felt his hair pulled up and tied for him. He watched in the mirror as Sorey did it and it was obvious there was some melancholic longing in the action. Fingers brushed over Mikleo’s skin and he felt a shiver go down his spine.

“Thank you,” he murmured, looking up at Sorey. “You know I won’t be gone long.”

“I do know and I trust you, Mikleo. That doesn’t mean I won’t miss you, especially at night. Sleeping in an empty bed isn’t as inviting anymore,” Sorey said with an overly-dramatic sigh. “I don’t roll around as much with you there.”

“If you’re trying to make me feel bad for leaving, it’s working.” Still, Mikleo grabbed his boots and pulled them on. The small satchel was slipped over his head and he nodded. “Not enough for me to change my mind. At least try to get some rest when I’m gone.”

“No promises.” It was clear from the grin that Sorey wasn’t being serious. “If Zaveid’s involved, he’ll probably make sure I run myself into the ground anyway. Did he say something when you were out with him last night?”

Nodding once, Mikleo was glad he could be truthful about something. “He said it was time for you to learn how to use the wind as transportation.”

Sorey’s eyes lit up and it was genuine excitement that was there. “Really? I’ve been waiting forever for him to tell me that was the next thing to learn. Then we can go anywhere we want in no time!”

As was typical with Sorey, he was thinking in terms of how he could use his abilities for someone other than himself. Zaveid had been right to be worried as Mikleo did tend to let Sorey be Sorey. He would always be selfless and thinking of how to help people while disregarding himself and his needs. A seraph had less needs than a human but that was no excuse.

“Pace yourself. I don’t want to come back to find out you’ve gotten yourself in some corner of the world and I need to find you,” Mikleo said, laughing gently. “I want to see the world _with_ you, not searching for you.”

The soft laugh Sorey let out made Mikleo relax. His lover would be just fine while he was gone and Mikleo highly doubted it’d be for very long in the first place. Either he would understand or he wouldn’t and it was really as simple as that. He was going to give himself time to figure it out but he was sure that he’d eventually decide that sharing it with Sorey was the better option.

It was Mikleo that initiated the hug, pressing his lips to Sorey’s for a brief moment before he pulled away. “I love you, Sorey. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Love you, Mikleo. I hope you achieve what you’re setting out to do.”

Giving Sorey a nod, the water seraph finally left their apartment. He had a destination in mind, using the fact that he still knew Ladylake better than Sorey did. Ladylake had grown astoundingly over the centuries which meant there were new inns around that Sorey wouldn’t know of. Though he disliked spending extra gald, Mikleo rented a room in a small corner of the capital.

Once alone, the water seraph tugged off his shoes and got comfortable on the bed. Though he highly doubted he’d even touch the second book for some time, Mikleo had brought it with him. Curiosity made him want to look at it but something Maria had said suggested it wouldn’t be wise. Having barely started, Mikleo wasn’t exactly ready to be “adventurous”.

Hesitating for a moment, Mikleo opened the book he’d been given as an introduction. According to the preface, it’d been written by a seraph as well, one who seemed to have fallen in love with a human. Maria definitely knew her stuff if she had books for beginners in her shop.

Before he knew it, he was engrossed in the tale of a seraph’s quest to understand humans in ways that most seraphim didn’t. It hadn’t been an absolute necessity but the seraph – whose name was Sidriel – desperately wanted to be closer to his lady love. Mikleo had never been one for romance stories but this was compelling in a way, for obvious reasons. It didn’t matter that Sorey wasn’t human any longer, he still had the same drives of a human.

In many ways, Mikleo felt the same as Sidriel. Both of them adored their lovers with all of their being but there were things humans did that didn’t always translate to seraphim. Though many things that Sorey did as a human had fallen by the wayside, there was still this unspoken desire for more… _something_ while they were together alone.

A turn of the page started a new chapter in the seraph’s life where Sidriel asked his lover to help him understand. Well, that was something Mikleo had considered but he did doubt that Sorey would have been as forthcoming. Sorey wasn’t exactly as knowledgeable as most about sex.

Mikleo paused at the thought. He idly wondered what Sorey’s fantasies entailed considering he was limited in his knowledge about sex. Clearly, he had some idea of what he wanted and perhaps had hesitated not just because he worried Mikleo wouldn’t reciprocate. Not having anyone else to discuss it with and the fact that they spent so much time together likely made him feel even less at ease about exploration.

By Maotelus, they were a mess.

Just as Mikleo was wondering if the book was merely a romance novel, the narrative shifted ever so slightly. Not that Mikleo wasn’t paying attention to begin with but now he was hitting the topic he truly wanted to know about.

_I should apologize for such a long preamble but I felt it necessary to share the context of why I desired something a seraph tends to ignore. As the world has changed, we have all had to change with it. I, for one, certainly did not expect to fall in love with a human after dismissing them and their foolishness for so long. Humans, unlike seraphim, adapt much easier to change and it was her honest heart that drew me to her._

_My dear heart taught me the importance of sharing intimate moments together._

_Though I should not assume, I believe that seraphs are the ones who will read this book in search of answers. Perhaps you have fallen in love with a human as well, much as I did. Prior to writing, I spoke with other seraphim to get their knowledge and insight on the topic of intimacy._

_If you currently consider sex to be nothing more than an act of copulation like I once did, you might be in for a shock. Too many of us turn a blind eye to the unsavoury parts of human society, believing it is only for thieves and other rogues. On the contrary, those places also contain shops to tantalize the senses in a way only a human can understand. Sex is a lifestyle for some and the ultimate act of love for many others._

_Whatever the reason you have sought out this knowledge, I only ask you keep an open mind and heart. If you do not have a partner to experience it with, or you are hesitant to begin, there are ways to get a taste of what you could have. Do be forewarned that it will not be the same as having another’s hands on you but it will give you a good idea of what to expect._

“It can’t be all that different,” Mikleo muttered, setting the book aside. He lit a candle on the night stand then adjusted the pillow so he could lean against it more comfortably. “Compared to how Zaveid goes on about it, this is almost poetic.”

He tried not to think how he’d spent much of his day reading a romance novel. It was for insight and, with luck, it would help him figure it out. Still, he knew that he’d never hear the end of it if anyone found out. It was even harder to admit that he’d actually enjoyed the story, even if he’d subconsciously placed himself and Sorey in the same position. Perhaps ditching the book was the better option when he was done then no one would ever know what he’d read.

Delving back into the book, Mikleo found that the narrator was becoming the instructor. To the writer’s credit, it made the water seraph squirm a bit less than he expected. Zaveid had certainly gotten under his skin with being so direct in the past, simultaneously confusing and uncomfortable. Sidriel was gentle and understanding, offering reassurance that it was going to be odd in the beginning.

“Odd” was putting it lightly. Surely Sorey hadn’t done the same, removing his pants while reading a book. Or perhaps he had, reading some book that he’d stolen away so Mikleo would never find it. Where Sorey would have gotten such a book, Mikleo would never know. It wasn’t as if new books showed up in Elysia frequently.

He let the thoughts distract him enough as he read through the book and what was being asked of him. Casting his eyes downward, Mikleo made a soft noise. He’d never given much thought to how he looked which was why it was odd to think Sorey thought him attractive.

Nervously, he moved his hand down between his legs, fingers gently brushing over his cock. The thought of touching himself in such a way had never occurred to him and he made a soft noise at the jolt that went through him. As the book said, exploration was key to understanding.

Closing his eyes, Mikleo felt rather than saw his body responding to his touch. It didn’t take long for him to place the sensations, knowing that was what his body had been trying to tell him for some time. The first full stroke up his hard length made his back arch and an involuntary moan fell from his throat. He caught himself the second time, not wanting to make so much noise on his own but it was so hard not to.

With his eyes closed, it was easy to imagine Sorey touching him. Strong fingers would replace the lithe ones, more practised and knowledgeable with their movements. How long had Sorey dreamed of the exact opposite over the years?

Mikleo slid down to lay on the bed, his back arching as he felt driven by the pleasure coursing through him. His hand moved quickly, the other hand coming down to cup his balls with a gentle squeeze. Gone was the desire to hold back, lustful groans making it obvious to anyone passing the room what was going on.

Just as he wondered how far the pleasure could spike, Mikleo felt his body tense and he planted his feet on the bed, arching hard. He gasped loudly, feeling his cock twitch under his fingers and something wet hit his stomach. His toes curled tightly, his back so far off the bed he was sure he would snap in two until he finally went completely limp.

Simply moving almost felt like a chore as he dropped his hands to his sides. Eventually, his eyes opened slightly and he let out a heated breath. With some effort, he pushed himself up to a sitting position, fingers coming up to rub at the substance on his stomach. He rubbed it between his fingertips, furrowing his brow as he studied it.

Seraphs didn’t copulate yet they had the right parts to do it. “Mana,” he murmured, easily placing what was on his fingers. There was no doubt that it was pure mana, simulating the ejaculate that a human male produced during sex.

Thinking was definitely completely out of the question at this point. All Mikleo could think of was how wonderful it would be if he shared such a moment with Sorey. It was no wonder his lover was shy and hesitant about it. Perhaps Sorey wasn’t exactly chaste but he had a lot of respect for boundaries. The chances of him overcoming his worries enough to talk to Mikleo about it were zero to none.

He slipped off the bed and went to the washing area that was behind a few curtains. Grabbing a towel, he wiped himself off as well as his fingers. He’d answered at least one question and now he had several more.

Going back to the bed, Mikleo cast a glance to the book before deciding otherwise. He leaned over, blowing out the candle before he got comfortable. It was then that he realized Sorey was right in that it was hard falling asleep while apart.


	3. Putting It All Together

The second day saw Mikleo doing nothing but finishing the book he’d started. Well, almost nothing but that. Reading was combined with trying out the different things that Sidriel recommended. Though Mikleo was more than certain he wanted to be with Sorey, he craved further knowledge.

Sidriel’s book was great as an introduction but it didn’t answer the question of how to proceed as the partner of another male. He’d hoped that perhaps his instructor would have insight but it apparently never crossed his mind. No one had ever said anything against them and they were all encouraging. Was it impossible to be together in the same way?

It was frustrating and Mikleo refused to believe Sorey had knowledge that he didn’t. After denying him for so long, the water seraph wanted to do something special for him. Going far beyond fulfilling desires and blowing his lover’s mind.

Of course, Mikleo also found it incredibly difficult to hang onto his frustration. Having pleasured himself several times, he couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt at such ease. Now he completely understood why Sorey, Zaveid, or anyone else would do such a thing. He finally knew what his body had wanted from the times they’d kissed and pressed up against each other.

Even so, he was going to wait before going back. With the beginner’s book done with, he turned his attention to the other one Maria had given to him. This one was one he hadn’t touched at all yet and seemed different from Sidriel’s easy instructions.

Mikleo ordered coffee for the next morning just as something to relax with. He knew Maria had given him the book for a reason, clearly having known what was in Sidriel’s. Once he opened the book, it was very obvious why she’d gone with the one she did. All of the answers he wanted were in front of him with detailed illustrations and even suggestions.

The book took no time at all to go from cover to cover but Mikleo found himself going through it much slower a second time. He took in certain parts more and kept going back to at least one. It was obvious that two males could be together and now the reasons behind the bottle of oil was clear.

Unable to help himself, Mikleo gathered up his things and checked out of the inn. The last thing he wanted was to be gone for so long that Sorey got the wrong idea. They were finally going to be on the same page and it was going to be wonderful.

He forgot about throwing away the books, especially since at least one of them was going to be very helpful later. All he needed was to show Sorey he was ready and serious about it. Well, that and to make sure that no one bothered them for a single second. It was impossible to promise and Mikleo was certain Zaveid would make some form of comment eventually.

It was around midday by the time Mikleo made it back to their apartment. It wasn’t surprising that Sorey wasn’t there, likely out training with Zaveid. Not wanting to give the wind seraph a chance to make inappropriate commentary, Mikleo decided not to track them down. His return could be a nice surprise for his lover after all the paces Zaveid was putting Sorey through.

He passed the time going through the second book again, wanting to be certain he had an idea of what he was doing. If he was going to go into it with enthusiasm, Mikleo had to be positive he had a handle on the subject at hand. This wasn’t like going through an unexplored ruin, though there was less chance of being harmed. Exploring someone’s body was different and more than a little intimidating. He wouldn’t be Mikleo if he didn’t go for it with everything he had.

Just as he was reading over another page, the door to the apartment opened and Sorey came in. Mikleo got to watch as his lover sighed, putting his forehead on the door before locking it. The obvious weariness made it all the better when Sorey turned around and saw Mikleo sitting at their table. His emerald eyes went wide and a smile crossed his face.

“You’re back!” Sorey exclaimed, his earlier weariness clearly forgotten. Then his smile dropped and was replaced with a look of concern. “Is everything okay now?”

Mikleo closed the book and nodded, getting up and closing the distance between them to embrace his lover. They hadn’t even done anything terribly intimate yet but it felt different to him now. “Everything is fine, Sorey.” He pulled away enough to look at Sorey with a soft smile. “There was something I needed to figure out.”

That didn’t seem to placate Sorey as much as he hoped it would. His arms were wrapped loosely around Mikleo and he seemed hesitant to say anything. Mikleo reached up to put a hand on his lover’s chest and sighed softly. “I want to apologize for dismissing you for so long. I haven’t been fair to you or what you need.”

“Was that really all you needed to figure out?” Sorey asked in confusion. “I’ve been worried this whole time that something was wrong.”

“The only thing wrong was me telling you not to worry about those ‘human things’ that have been bothering you.”

Finally, Mikleo saw a bit of a smile on Sorey’s face as he let out a breath of relief. “It’s fine, Mikleo. You’re not wrong and I really need to start behaving more like a seraph.”

Wrinkling his nose, Mikleo shook his head. “You don’t need to be more like anyone but yourself, Sorey. I didn’t spend these past two days trying to understand your worries for nothing.” The worst feeling was knowing he was to blame for Sorey’s line of thinking as well. “I should have asked you about what was bothering you, not telling you it ‘doesn’t matter’ because you’re a seraph.”

Grinning sheepishly, Sorey made a soft noise as he finally pulled Mikleo against him. “Even if you did, I wouldn’t know where to start. I get the feeling you know it’s about more than just eating.”

“I do.” Had Sorey pulled him close in hopes he’d identified the problem? No matter how much the other seraph worked at it, Mikleo was certain those desires wouldn’t go away easily. “It’s about time I give something to you instead of you always giving to me.”

It wasn’t surprising that the very idea confused Sorey. Mikleo gently nudged his lover to sit down on the bed and knelt on the floor to help Sorey remove his boots. He shook himself as he felt his nerves get the better of him, peering up at his lover with a sheepish grin. “Don’t get too excited. Books only get you so far, you know that.”

“Did you seriously go somewhere alone to understand what sex is?” Sorey asked, tipping his head to one side. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did. You should know by now that you’re not going to get rid of your human needs anytime soon,” Mikleo said, smiling softly as he saw the almost guilty look on Sorey’s face. “Don’t feel guilty for what you were, Sorey. And I know that you’d probably turn into a stuttering mess if I’d asked you about it sooner.”

Unable to deny it, Sorey let out a gentle huff and he looked away. “I could surprise you if you let me. Maybe I know more than you think I do.”

Mikleo considered that for a moment before he chuckled softly, hands sliding up Sorey’s inner thighs before resting close to the other’s crotch. “Really? I did wonder if you read something when we were younger. Where would you even find those kinds of books?”

“Gramps knew I’d be able to reach the top of his bookshelf eventually.” Sorey’s mind seemed to catch up to him and he visibly flushed at where Mikleo’s hands were going. “Not that it answered the real questions I had.”

So, his mind had been on the right track. There wasn’t a way for Zenrus to have known that Sorey’s heart wasn’t going to be with a woman down the road. It wasn’t exactly farfetched since their caretaker definitely expected Sorey to leave them one day to become a Shepherd. No one could have predicted the future and what it held.

“Uh, Mikleo? What are you going to do?”

The water seraph looked up as Sorey spoke, seeing the nervous smile his lover had. “Those books didn’t tell you about this, did they?”

Not giving himself or Sorey a moment to overthink things, one of Mikleo’s hands found their mark. He heard the noise catch in Sorey’s throat and it was impossible to resist moving his hand over the growing bulge in the other’s pants. Perhaps he wasn’t a master but he had enough of an idea of what he was doing to be confident in himself and his actions. Fingers worked at the belt of Sorey’s pants, unfastening the latch and not pausing before he reached in to free his lover’s erection.

He’d seen Sorey naked plenty of times, just not when he was hard. Did he really have to be bigger than Mikleo with _everything_? Still, he ran his hand up the length, humming as he heard the restrained groan.

“They say it feels different when it’s someone else touching you,” Mikleo murmured, letting his hand slowly move. With the way Sorey was squirming, Mikleo could believe it. “You don’t have to be quiet, Sorey.”

Sorey took in a breath and let it out with a soft moan, shaking his head. “I have to be dreaming.”

Mikleo gave the cock in his hand a gentle squeeze, enjoying the way Sorey’s hips jerked up as he did it. “That’s all you have to say for yourself?”

“H-hey, its not like you’ve ever shown interest in stuff like this,” Sorey muttered. With a light grunt, he removed his gloves and set them aside. “Don’t take that the wrong way. I’ve wanted to be with you for so long but I never knew how to bring it up.”

“That’s why I looked for answers and I found them,” Mikleo said. Silently, he was glad that Zaveid had been right all along and then gave him the assistance he actually needed. It was better that he was the one approached to break the ice. “A lot of them.”

Leaning forward ever so slightly, Mikleo wet his lips with his tongue before he pressed them to the tip of his lover’s cock. He’d expected the potential of Sorey’s hips to jerk upwards and placed his other hand on the other’s hip to prevent it. He could practically feel the surprise from his lover, making him grin as he took as much of Sorey’s dick into his mouth as he could.

Mikleo certainly hadn’t thought much about what it’d be like to do this. The very idea simply tantalized him, much like everything else he’d been reading for the past few hours. It always felt good when he could get a leg up on Sorey and a quick glance up made him grin. Oh, that pleasured look was worth everything.

Unable to take the entirety of Sorey’s cock into his mouth, he wrapped his hand around the rest and stroked slowly. Book smarts only went so far but, to be fair, it wasn’t that difficult to figure out. He could only get better from practise and he was most definitely enjoying the low moans Sorey was letting out. He found he wanted to watch as Sorey quickly became unravelled, head tilted down and hands clutching tightly to the bed quilt. Sorey had unbuttoned his shirt at some point which only served to make him look even more dishevelled and quite attractive, really.

Sorey breathed out Mikleo’s name and the water seraph felt the pulse of his lover’s impending release under his tongue. He watched and felt a shiver go down his spine as Sorey let out a cry of pure pleasure when he orgasmed. The come hit the back of Mikleo’s throat which startled him but he reflexively swallowed it, gently squeezing Sorey’s dick before pulling up.

Mana wasn’t salty as had been described in the books. It was difficult to explain how it tasted but it certainly wasn’t offensive in any way. It also seemed like it differed depending on the seraph as Sorey’s was actually sort of sweet.

A gusty groan made Mikleo watch as Sorey fell back against the bed. “That definitely felt different from what I’m used to. In a really, really good way.”

Laughing gently, Mikleo climbed onto the bed and lay down beside Sorey. “You sounded and looked like you were enjoying it,” he said, grinning widely. “I was going to just use my hands but I wanted to try out what that was like.”

Turning to his side, Sorey reached up to brush his fingers over Mikleo’s cheek. “Thank you. I should have talked to you sooner.”

Mikleo shook his head and leaned in for a kiss which Sorey eagerly returned. This time, the water seraph felt his body respond in a way that made sense and the trapped erection he had in his pants made that obvious. “There’s a chance I wouldn’t have understood even if you did. Would you have tried to do the same thing I just did?”

“Definitely not the same thing. I didn’t even know you could _do_ that or anyone would want to. The only thing I know how to do is use my hands.” Sorey pressed his lips together for a moment before he chuckled. “That night Zaveid asked for your help, he talked to you about it, didn’t he?”

As much as he wanted to say he thought about it on his own, Mikleo knew better. He nodded slowly with a sigh. “I really didn’t think it was even on your mind, Sorey. When we were growing up, Gramps told me it was something humans did and left it at that.”

Without warning, Sorey was on top of Mikleo, rolling the water seraph to his back. Sorey’s hands were on either side of Mikleo’s head and a smirk tugged at his lips. “So, you were the one who took those books! Don’t think I didn’t notice them missing at least once.”

Of course, Sorey would have noticed any of his books missing since he was so meticulous with them. “What else was I supposed to do when no one would tell me anything?” Mikleo said, smirking right back at his lover. He put a hand on Sorey’s chest, fingertips gently pressing against the other’s skin. “And you weren’t exactly stealthy about it you know. I only asked Gramps because I caught you masturbating one night.”

“You _watched me_?” Letting out a noise of embarrassment, Sorey dropped his head to one of Mikleo’s shoulders. “You never said anything.”

“I just had your penis in my mouth. It’s a little bit late to be embarrassed about this,” Mikleo laughed, grinning as Sorey’s head shot up. “We both didn’t know how to handle the subject. That comes with the territory when you’re sheltered.”

Sorey closed his eyes and let out a light sigh, shifting slightly to straighten himself. “As much as I want to disagree, you’re definitely on to something,” he said, settling his weight completely on top of Mikleo though he jumped up quickly as he did. “Ah, sorry!”

Right, just because they were having a nice discussion, Mikleo’s body was still reacting to what he’d done. “Don’t be, but I wouldn’t mind a hand or two.” He paused then sat up slightly. “Wait, lay down on the bed, Sorey. There was something else I wanted to try. Oh, and take off your clothes while you’re at it.”

While Sorey complied with his request, Mikleo went to the small satchel and pulled out the bottle of oil. Everything made sense now and he hoped that Sorey wasn’t a “one and done” kind of guy. Setting the bottle on the table, Mikleo pulled off his shirt and tugged down his pants, hearing a hum of appreciation behind him.

Turning to look over his shoulder rewarded him with eager emerald eyes watching him. It wasn’t the first time Sorey had looked at him in that way but it was the first time Mikleo understood the desire in his lover’s eyes. Everything had context now and Mikleo felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. Taking the bottle from the table, he turned around completely and grinned as Sorey looked him up and down. It was hard not to take a bit of pride in being desired in such a way after centuries of ignoring advances from all others.

He got his own eyeful as he climbed into bed, finding a new appreciation for Sorey’s form. Putting a hand on Sorey’s chest, Mikleo gently pushed to get him to lay down. “This is going to be very different for both of us. It’s the only one I couldn’t really practise on my own.”

“Wait, what are you…?”

Mikleo removed the bottle’s stopper, noting that the oil didn’t really have a scent. He’d been so eager to get back that he only had the basic idea of what he was doing. Like Mikleo had said, it wasn’t that difficult to understand and generally even easier to put into practise. Mastery would take time but they had that in spades.

It seemed that Sorey was still confused about what Mikleo was doing with the oil, a light grin on his lips. “You’re not even going to let me return the favour, are you?” Sorey said, sighing softly. “Can I at least help with what you’re doing?”

Truthfully, the idea of Sorey doing the same to him hadn’t occurred to Mikleo. He was so focused on trying to give his lover pleasure that his own was an afterthought. “Do you even know what I’m trying to do?” Mikleo asked, tipping his head to one side.

“No, but you’re going to tell me.” Sorey gently took the bottle of oil, sitting up and dipping a finger into it. “I could take a wild guess if you really want.”

Well, so much for being the one completely in control. Mikleo made a soft noise and then rolled over on the bed to lay on his back. “Do you really need me to tell you?”

It went without saying that Mikleo would gladly guide his lover through it if necessary. He also knew that Sorey was smart enough to figure out where it was going even if the books he’d read were different. Considering how quickly Sorey moved between Mikleo’s legs and how he looked over everything in front of him, there was no way he needed guidance. Even so, there were obvious misgivings on his lover’s face.

Before he could reassure him, Sorey put some of the oil on two of his fingers then moved them to Mikleo’s hole. He very, very gently put some pressure only for the finger to slip in easily. Even Mikleo hadn’t been expecting it, a soft noise following the action.

“I-is that okay?” Sorey asked.

Nodding once, Mikleo let out a breath. “It’s fine, Sorey. Keep going.”

A second finger joined the first in much the same manner, though Mikleo tensed around the intrusion this time. Closing his eyes and taking in a relaxing breath, he felt them slide in further. He’d been expecting it to feel good, not as odd as it did. Opening his eyes slowly, Mikleo smiled lopsidedly at seeing the look of interest and concentration on Sorey’s face. It was the same look he could give to puzzles in ruins or when he interpreted what ancient texts were saying.

The fingers flexed and probed then suddenly found their mark, making Mikleo gasp. His hips jumped and he made a noise. Having figured out the puzzle, Sorey did it again, fingertips rubbing over the spot inside. Tipping his head back with a low moan, Mikleo pressed himself down to get more of the friction his body desired.

Slowly, Sorey removed his fingers which made Mikleo look down at him. “Come on, you can figure out what comes next,” the water seraph said, grinning slightly.

“More fingers?” Sorey asked with such a straight face that Mikleo was briefly worried he was being serious. The ruse wasn’t easily maintained and Sorey laughed a bit before pouring some of the oil into the palm of his hand. “I wouldn’t have thought of using oil. They didn’t use it in any of the books I read.”

“They wouldn’t. Reality isn’t like fantasies and I’m not a woman, either,” Mikleo muttered.

There was a brief pause as Sorey leaned over Mikleo to set the bottle of oil on the night stand. He looked down at the water seraph before smiling softly and leaning in for a kiss. There were no words for how good it felt to finally feel the same desire that Sorey felt. Mikleo hummed and put his hands on Sorey’s chest, eyes opening slowly when his lover pulled away. He nodded once, feeling that Sorey needed that nudge to keep going and it seemed he was right as the other nodded in response.

While Sorey likely hadn’t even conceived of doing it in such a way with Mikleo, he trusted the water seraph implicitly. It still seemed as though he had to steel himself to go forward and, honestly, who could blame him?

Mikleo made a soft noise as he felt the tip of Sorey’s cock at his hole. Being much more than just two of the other’s fingers, he felt himself starting to stretch around to accommodate the intrusion. He lifted and bent his legs as he felt Sorey going in deeper, the limbs trembling as the spot inside of him was brushed against.

Only stopping when their bodies met, Mikleo looked up at Sorey and let out a breathless laugh. “You’re not done already, are you?”

Sorey’s eyes were closed and he simply looked so overwhelmed that Mikleo was afraid he’d pass out. Eventually, he shook his head and opened his eyes with a light noise as he shifted. “Not yet. You’re so tight, I didn’t expect it.”

“That’s what you get for being so big,” Mikleo teased, glad to see a slight grin on his lover’s face.

Instinct seemed to play a large part in how things worked for humans. Sorey didn’t even need encouragement to start thrusting though it was hesitant and cautious. It was impatience that made Mikleo turn them over, chuckling at the dazed look on Sorey’s face.

Perhaps it was nothing but cockiness but Mikleo wasted no time with his movements. With only a few adjustments, he felt Sorey’s cock hit its mark each time he slid back down. His hands firmly on Sorey’s chest, Mikleo moved quickly and watched his lover beneath him.

Watching was definitely the best part of it all. It took time for Sorey to get his wits about him enough to hold to Mikleo’s waist, groaning lowly. There was nothing but pure desire and need on Sorey’s face and Mikleo enjoyed seeing every second of it. Just looking at his lover made it obvious that Sorey’s deep desires were being satisfied.

One of Sorey’s hands moved, sliding over to rest on Mikleo’s stomach then slid upwards. Ah, so he was appreciating the view now. Mikleo obliged, arching his body to feel the rough hands of a swordsman on his skin. The problem was, Mikleo was certain he wouldn’t last long and he felt his mind getting muddled by his own need. He’d underestimated how different it would be to have Sorey inside of him, relentlessly brushing the spot inside that made him shiver.

Either the fact wasn’t lost on Sorey or he’d gained enough confidence to explore. Mikleo stiffened as he felt a hand wrap around his cock then start to stroke him slowly. He lost his rhythm and settled himself on Sorey, hips thrusting forward into his lover’s hand.

It took no time at all before a loud cry of Sorey’s name punctuated Mikleo’s orgasm. His hands curled into fists and he leaned on his trembling arms, hips jerking with the aftershocks as Sorey kept stroking him. It was so much more intense than what he’d experienced by himself. No wonder Sorey had been so overwhelmed.

Groaning softly, Mikleo opened his eyes to see a very satisfied Sorey looking up at him. “Dammit, Sorey. You couldn’t resist, could you?”

Sorey shook his head with a grin that only widened. He sat up and pressed his lips against Mikleo’s with a low hum. “You left yourself wide open, how couldn’t I take advantage of it? I really wanted to see if you looked even better than I imagined you would.” At Mikleo’s questioning look, Sorey laughed gently. “Reality is always better than fantasy.”

That was good, then. It meant Mikleo was doing something right. As with most things, he’d gone into it with the idea his knowledge would carry him. Sorey may not have had the knowledge but he had an idea of what he was doing. Where Mikleo had to learn from scratch, the other seraph had the benefit of biological knowledge.

Shifting slightly, Mikleo let out a soft noise as he pressed up against his lover. “So, I’ve been the one trying to take control here but I feel like you have an idea of what you’re doing now.”

Much to his surprise, Sorey grimaced and shrugged slightly. “I told you I was taking a wild guess.”

Sorey didn’t give the water seraph a chance to complain before he started thrusting upwards. Despite the fact that he’d already come, Mikleo let out a loud moan and held to his lover. He felt the hand slip around his dick again, stroking him as Sorey kept moving. It didn’t take long for Mikleo to get hard again, his already sensitive body only enhancing the sensations.

This time, it was much more intimate with how close they were. Mikleo wasted no time and leaned in for a kiss, the feelings going through him making so much more sense now. He broke it off with a groan of Sorey’s name, not caring how loud he was. It wasn’t as if Sorey was any quieter, matching Mikleo’s volume.

Mikleo let Sorey dictate how they did it this time, letting the other take it as slow as he desired. It was only natural that Sorey would be the romantic type even when it came to his first time. Of course, the other seraph was also exploring and the first light nip to his throat made him gasp. Since he didn’t protest, Sorey clearly took it as an invitation and continued kissing and biting his way over Mikleo’s neck and shoulders. Somehow, it only enhanced the pleasure the water seraph was feeling and he returned the favour himself, relishing the noises Sorey made.

It felt like they’d been going at it for hours before Sorey grasped Mikleo’s hips and jerked upwards before letting out a groan as he came. Mikleo swore he felt everything, right down to the way Sorey’s cock twitched inside of him.

He didn’t get much time to focus on it before the hand at his dick stroked him faster. It happened so quickly that Mikleo could only let out a strangled cry when he hit his peak. This time, he felt the warm fluid hit his stomach, a shiver going through him as his cock was squeezed before being let go.

Completely spent, he leaned against Sorey with a soft moan, smiling lightly as he felt arms wrap around him. Sorey fell back onto the bed and they shifted to get more comfortable with Mikleo laying on top of him.

From his position, Mikleo watched his lover who eventually looked down at him. Mikleo pulled himself up to get closer, pressing his lips against Sorey’s for a moment before rolling off to one side. “That was even better than I imagined.”

“That was awesome,” Sorey said, a content smile on his face. The arm underneath Mikleo curled up to pull the water seraph close. “ _You_ were awesome.”

“We should have been doing this a long time ago,” Mikleo sighed softly. “Don’t tell me not to worry about it. Everything I was saying was the reason you didn’t want to go through a true union.”

Pausing for a moment, Sorey rolled over to his side. His eyes betrayed how weary he was, even in the dim evening light filtering through the windows. “It wasn’t the only reason but, knowing what a union means, I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Next time, I’ll talk with you if it’s something that big, though I really don’t think we’ll have much to get in our way.”

Reaching up with a hand to place it on Sorey’s chest, Mikleo nodded in agreement. “Then, I have to ask. What other reasons did you have?”

“I want you to be sure you want to be with me for however long we live.”

“Funny, I’ve been worrying the same thing about you,” Mikleo admitted with a soft chuckle. “We’re both idiots so I think we deserve each other for an eternity.”

“Just a couple of idiots in love,” Sorey sighed, pulling Mikleo close to him. He closed his eyes, making a noise in the back of his throat. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired.”

While he’d been prepared for more discussion, Mikleo had to agree with the need for rest. Between whatever Zaveid had done and the sex they’d just had, Sorey was likely running on empty. So, putting an arm over Sorey’s body, Mikleo hummed his assent.

“Get some rest and we can talk more about it tomorrow.”


	4. Making It Official

A true seraphic union was rare, as one could imagine. Linking your mind, body, and spirit to someone else’s for an eternity wasn’t for everyone. No matter how in love seraphim could be, dedicating potential millennia to a partner was frightening. If one accumulated too much malevolence, both would hellionize and be lost. There were only a handful in history who went through with it with many of the couples eventually isolating themselves to prevent hellionization.

Both Sorey and Mikleo had researched it extensively since Lailah had dropped the term in their laps. They found that they hadn’t actually gone through a true union since they didn’t actually exchange names. Just because they knew each other’s True Names didn’t mean that they were in a seraphic union. In the end, that had been just as well since they had things to work out before they decided. Mikleo didn’t want to think what it would have been like if they’d gone ahead and done it without understanding first.

Neither of them had moved when the sun rose the next morning. As per usual, Mikleo was the first to awaken and he spent a moment just looking at Sorey. He felt more confident than ever now that he wanted to spend his immortal life with his childhood friend.

Instead of trying to pull away, Mikleo pressed closer with a soft hum, nuzzling under Sorey’s chin. He heard the responding noise from his lover and felt the arms around him tighten. “Good morning,” Mikleo murmured.

“Morning,” Sorey said.

Mikleo decided to take advantage of the other’s drowsiness to press soft kisses to Sorey’s throat. He grinned at the vibrating groan that his lover let out. “We should get up before Zaveid tries to track you down.”

In response to that, Sorey simply grumbled his displeasure and all but buried his face in Mikleo’s hair. It was really the first time that the water seraph had seen him unenthusiastic about his training. Until now, he’d always been eager to keep going and learning. Mikleo could almost say that his lover was actually being somewhat selfish by ignoring it in favour of spending time with someone in bed. Regardless of the reason, Mikleo wasn’t going to complain about it.

Neither of them seemed interested in falling asleep again. They simply enjoyed each other’s company, exploring in ways they’d never explored before. Light touches over bare skin to seek out sensitive spots, whether that meant being ticklish or provocative. Mikleo once again mentally chastised himself for not actively seeking out the information on his own. If he’d known that they could have such a slow awakening that made him feel even closer to Sorey, he’d have done it sooner.

After a few moments, Sorey hummed happily. “I love you,” he sighed.

“I love you, too.” Mikleo slipped his arms around his lover once more and pressed a light kiss to Sorey’s neck. “Can we calk about that seraphic union?”

Just mentioning it was a gamble. So many times before, Sorey had done his best to scramble out of any discussion of it. Knowing the reason why made Mikleo hope that they could go through with it. At the least, he wanted to discuss the idea as he felt more confident now than ever before. He was still surprised when he felt the nod from his lover.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t talk about it before.” Sorey let out a gentle sigh as he shifted slightly. “What would you have done if we joined and you felt all of that before understanding it?”

“You’re the one who’s always saying we’ll deal with the problems if they get in our way. It would have been confusing for me but it would have forced you to be honest with me,” Mikleo said. He paused for a moment to think about it then shook his head. “That wouldn’t have been fair to either of us. I don’t want to force you into anything.”

“I feel the same way. No one could force you to do anything you don’t want, anyway,” Sorey teased, laughing a bit.

Mikleo shifted so he could look at his lover, a quick breath coming from his nose. “Which is why I’m more certain than ever that I want to be with you. You’re the only one I thought of while you were gone and I don’t care who knows that.”

Apparently, the admission wasn’t surprising in the least. Mikleo knew that Sorey wasn’t so big-headed that he’d say it was only natural for the water seraph to have waited for him. They knew each other so well that a seraphic union was to simply finalize their connection. The sex situation aside, they generally tended to feel out each other’s quirks and needs fairly well. Even without Zaveid’s help, Mikleo was positive they would have reached a breaking point and then figured it out. It was simply gentler and kinder with interference.

“Thank you.” The words were whispered and yet spoke volumes to Mikleo. Sorey was thanking him for waiting for him. “I already know you’re the only one I’ll ever need or want so close to me.”

Leaning in for a gentle kiss, Mikleo pushed himself up to a sitting position. He caught the way Sorey’s eyes roamed over his body, openly and unabashedly admiring the water seraph’s form. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

Sorey moved to sit cross-legged on the bed, putting his hands on his legs. “Shouldn’t we get dressed or something first?” He idly scratched at his jaw and looked off to one side. “Not that I’m complaining but this is a sacred ceremony.”

“A sacred ceremony for two,” Mikleo said, laughing softly. “If you’d rather get dressed then I’ll go with that. To me, I think I’d like to remember this moment each time I see you like this.”

It was hard not to smile as Sorey took in the implications and then flushed slightly. Yes, it was definitely that kind of thing that Mikleo wanted to remember. Such a moment was something unique to Sorey, one who still blushed despite sitting in front of someone he had sex with the night prior. Perhaps he would lose that over time, though Mikleo was sure that he’d never have the same confidence Zaveid showed.

Letting out a breath, Sorey nodded slightly and then set his hands palm-up in between them. “You’re sure about this? We both know that it means we can’t be someone’s Prime Lord.”

Mikleo put his hands in Sorey’s and shook his head. “And we both know that’s not entirely true. If you’d rather keep yourself open for that, we can. Or, we can plan for something that might come up in the future.”

Joining together came with a caveat if the seraph had the powers of purification. It went without saying that Sorey had that at his disposal considering how he came into being. By joining with Mikleo, they would both have to be taken on as a Prime Lord by a Shepherd which meant that Shepherd had to be able to handle them both at the same time. The very existence of a Shepherd of that caliber would mean that the world was in grave danger.

“Am I being selfish for wanting this?” Sorey murmured, holding to Mikleo’s hands.

“Sorey, you’re the least selfish person I know. You gave up your humanity to get this world where it is and you were willing to ignore your own desires to be with me.” Looking into Sorey’s emerald eyes, Mikleo smiled softly and tipped his head to one side. “Don’t you think you’re allowed to be selfish after everything?”

Even after being reminded of that, Sorey still looked conflicted. Human or seraph, Sorey would always be completely selfless and worry about doing the right thing. Mikleo was open to the possibility that he himself was in the wrong and being selfish to want Sorey all to himself. The very thought of losing his lover again made his very soul ache at times.

After a moment, the other seraph gave a small nod and held a little tighter to Mikleo’s hands. “I really want to be with you completely, Mikleo. Let’s do this.”

Seraphs were all about ceremony and ritual. Lailah had made it obvious from the way she brought others into the Shepherd’s fold. Yet, there was at least once instance of her breaking the ceremony in the interest of time which had the same outcome without all of the pomp and circumstance. For that reason – and also because they weren’t exactly the type for it – Sorey and Mikleo had decided against creating elaborate vows. They could do it just as easily with their clear intentions.

“ _Luzrov Rulay_.”

“ _Ruwletom Kiwuv_.”

They said their True Names in unison to prevent the inevitable shock from taking them by surprise. Mikleo felt a warmth go through him that he’d never felt before when his True Name had been invoked. He’d expected it to feel strange but it was more comforting and gentler than he’d imagined. He felt rather than saw the gemstone that appeared on his chest which effectively bound him to Sorey.

Eventually, the sensations calmed and Mikleo opened his eyes. There, on Sorey’s chest was a round, blue gemstone set in a silver rim which held the emblem of water within it. Such a simple thing that meant everything to them both.

He looked down to see a similar gemstone on his own chest, though it was multi-coloured and had the symbols of all the elements within it. Mikleo reached up to gently touch the stone, feeling a soft pulse of warmth come from it. A noise from Sorey made Mikleo look up to see him doing the same.

Sorey had a fond smile on his face as he held a little tighter to the gemstone. It was almost like being embraced and Mikleo felt the same kind of power he felt when his True Name was invoked. There was no pain and no confusion, all he felt was calm and the warmth of Sorey’s love. It made him return the motion in kind just to see his lover’s smile deepen.

Not needing words, they leaned in to press their lips together in a kiss. Neither of them cared that they hadn’t even left the bed or gotten dressed yet. That is, until a rather harsh knock came from the door.

“I’ve been waiting forever, choirboy! You said you’d be there before midday.”

Grumbling softly, Mikleo pulled out of the kiss first. He nodded to Sorey before he slipped off the bed to find his pants and shirt. “You neglected to mention that,” he said, giving Sorey a slight smirk.

Shrugging helplessly, he hopped on one foot to get his pants on while the knocking came again. “Hold on, Zaveid!” he called, grabbing his jacket and just putting it on without buttoning it. Giving a quick glance over to Mikleo, Sorey opened the door. “Sorry I kept you waiting. I got a bit tied up.”

Zaveid opened his mouth to say something then paused, looking at Sorey’s chest before looking over to Mikleo. His brows shot up and he folded his arms over his chest. “You two didn’t waste any time at all, did you? Not even a single moment to figure it all out.”

“We did figure it out. We’ve been reading about it for months now,” Mikleo said, wrinkling his nose. “Sorey and I know what we wanted and we both decided now was the best time.”

Unable to argue with him, Zaveid shrugged and leaned in to look at the gem on Sorey’s chest. Just as Mikleo feared, a finger came out to touch it and he felt a light shudder go through him. Not even saying a word, Sorey stepped back once and put his hand protectively over the gem which made Mikleo relax.

Fixing Zaveid with a glare, Mikleo went to find his boots to get them on. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t touch them without thinking. You’re the one who needs to read up and understand how these things work.”

“Yeesh, here I thought getting laid might mellow you out a little,” Zaveid muttered.

Sorey’s cheeks reddened slightly and he busied himself with finding his shirt and pulling it on. It wasn’t that Mikleo hadn’t expected such teasing from the wind seraph but the way he just went all in could still be shocking. The man had no limits at times.

“Uh, Zaveid? Thank you for your help,” Sorey said, always gracious. “Mikleo’s right. These gemstones each hold a part of us and we can feel everything.”

Where one would expect another snide remark, Zaveid merely nodded. “I’ll admit I don’t know much about those things since they’re not my style. I can’t imagine what it’s like knowing that you’re tied to each other now.” He sighed softly, looking between them. “Have to hand it to you both for having the guts to go through with it.”

Standing up, Mikleo smiled softly, loosely folding his arms across his chest. “There’s no one else I’d tie my life to and you know that by now, Zaveid.”

“Our lives have always been intertwined. It’s not about being strong enough to do it, it’s about knowing no one else will ever make me feel the way Mikleo does.” Sorey looked over to Mikleo with a fond smile before looking back to Zaveid. “You might not be into the ‘forever’ deal but I sure am.”

Though Zaveid groaned and rolled his eyes, Mikleo knew that the wind seraph likely thought it was endearing. How many had he actually seen dedicate themselves to another seraph? Was he even old enough to have seen one of the handful of couples before their isolation? It was impossible to not have such questions in his mind.

“Fine, I get it. You’re a cute couple and you’re honestly hitched now,” Zaveid said with a sigh. “You’re also going to steal the whole show when we’re bound to see everyone on the way through town. Looks like you’re off the hook for training today.”

“Don’t sound so jealous,” Mikleo teased lightly. He turned to see Sorey getting his boots on then standing up to get his sword. “I thought you always liked excuses for a celebration.”

Arching a brow, Zaveid’s mouth turned up in a sly grin. “What? Not going to suggest you and Sorey stay in bed all day? From all the noise you made, I really thought you’d be eager to do it all again today.”

While both Sorey and Mikleo tensed from the words, Zaveid let out a loud yelp as a familiar parasol came into view. Just one prod wasn’t enough and Edna relentlessly jabbed the wind seraph out of the way.

“Learn some limits, Grampveid. Just because you helped them doesn’t mean you get to listen in on them.” Edna glared at Zaveid with more anger than Mikleo could remember seeing in her face before. “I thought age was supposed to bring wisdom but you seem to become stupider each decade.”

It seemed like their night of passion was very much public knowledge. Mikleo felt the heat on his cheeks and could even feel the residual embarrassment from Sorey. Despite all of it, Mikleo couldn’t help but laugh softly as he looked over at his lover. Awkward as it was, neither of them would have it any other way. Their love was on display for everyone to see so who cared if someone knew what they did behind closed doors?

Lailah and Rose appeared as Edna was still berating Zaveid for his lack of discretion. Mikleo felt an arm go around his waist and he did the same with Sorey. They didn’t know what the future would bring but now they knew for certain they would face it all together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually struggled a little with this one for some reason. I had so many edits and things that just didn't work out right. After all was said and done, I actually kind of like it for what it is.
> 
> Not sure where I'm going next as I find it difficult to make AUs for Zestiria. I've been playing a lot of Xenoblade Chronicles, both Definitive Edition and XC2 but even that feels difficult to write for. All these games and I would love to write for them but my idea well runs dry! I don't want to repeat too much of the themes I write because then I feel like I'm just so repetitive.
> 
> Did I mention I always second-guess myself? 😾
> 
> ANYWAY. Thank you for reading if you got this far and I want you to know that you're even more awesome now. Please, take care in this wild world. 💕


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